Rita Altman, Senior Vice President of Memory Care services for Sunrise Senior Living in Pennsylvania, recently wrote for Huffington Post a list of recommendations on how to keep summertime activities safe and enjoyable for those living with memory loss, and how to achieve the best senior health during these hot months. Citing research suggesting that singing and playing music contributes to memory retention, Altman recommends playing “music from summers past” at family gatherings. And when it comes to physical activities, Rita says that those living with dementia can – and should – participate, but most activities will need a little
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Archives for Healthy Living
Falling Down: Prevention Tips
Trips and falls can lead to serious injuries, hip fractures, and head traumas in older adults – Freedom Home Care wants to help you take steps to prevent them. Each year, one in every three adults ages 65 and older slip and fall in the U.S. According to Physical Therapist Alice Bell, seniors who have fallen once are the most at risk of falling again. There are a number of factors that contribute to falls experienced by seniors, and any kind of fall can be especially dangerous for people with Osteoporosis. Known to many as the silent disease, Osteoporosis causes
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Memory Tests Could Indicate Alzheimer’s Years in Advance
Surprisingly, many people don’t realize that one of the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s are low scores on memory tests. It could be a mental aptitude test taken prior to being hired for a job, or maybe even a reading comprehension test for a college course. According to recent studies, consistent, incorrect answers or mistakes made on tests like these are a good indicator of progressive brain disease. What’s even more important is that the results of these memory tests could serve as a warning sign up to 18 years before the disease is even diagnosed. Currently, there’s no definitive way
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Talking To College Students Is Good for Older Adults
It is perhaps a well-known fact that storytelling and sharing from one generation to another is good for everyone, young and old. But a new study has put it to the test, and has found that it is especially good for older adults on multiple levels – mentally, emotionally, and physically. The study focused on writing workshops for older adults living at home and in retirement communities. These workshops were conducted in group settings where adults were prompted to write “life reviews,” a form of memoir and personal writing. Thirty-nine seniors were randomly assigned to two distinct groups: one group
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The Importance of Staying Hydrated
We have heard time and time again how important it is for us to stay hydrated. From our parents when we were young to our doctors as we get older, water consumption is reiterated as one of the most important things you can do for your body every day. Many of our vital life processes rely on keeping a certain level of hydration and dipping too far below that level can lead to drastic consequences. Freedom Home Care understands that hydration is certainly very important in the elderly. Improper hydration can lead to blood pressure issues as well as kidney
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Summer Skin Care Tips For Seniors
We’re all familiar with the phrase “soaking up the sun.” But how much do we know about the effects that taking in too much sun can have on our bodies? The UV rays from the sun tend to cause damage to the elastin in our skin, destroying the body’s collagen. Elastin helps our skin snap back into its normal position. The sun breaks down these fibers in the skin causing sagging, stretching, and bruising. Over time, skin loses its elasticity and wrinkles begin to form. Over exposure to the sun also causes dry skin, freckles, brown spots, and sun burn. The pursuit
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Running is Not Just for the Young
Although it is rare for someone to pick up competitive running in their sixties or later, Freedom Home Care has seen it happen as well as the benefits that come along with it. Even if you are a very athletic person, you may be joining the rest of us average people who start to see a change in our skills and activity level between ages 30 to 40. That is due to the unavoidable decline in muscular strength, endurance, and higher risk of injury. Not to mention, as we get older our injuries tend to keep us out of commission
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Could Being Underweight Increase Your Risk of Dementia?
Researchers have discovered a new possible link to dementia: being underweight. In the largest study ever to look at relationships between body weight and likelihood of developing dementia, nearly two million people in the U.K. were observed over a period of about nine years. Those who were underweight had the highest dementia risk in old age, with body mass index (BMI) being inversely proportional to the likelihood of developing dementia. Dementia is a term used to describe a number of conditions associated with a decline in memory and thinking skills. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting
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Soak Up Some Vitamin D this Summer
Summer is finally here in Chicago, and after months of hibernating indoors it’s the perfect time to get outside and breathe in some fresh air. Here at Freedom Home Care we know it can be difficult to get outside a lot during the winter months, and with many seniors being at a higher risk for vitamin D deficiency, we have a few recommendations to make sure you and your loved ones stay healthy. As the weather warms up, it is a good time to focus on getting outdoors and getting more vitamin D. Seniors over the age of 50 have an
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Seniors Get Better Sleep With Mindful Meditation
This month is national sleep awareness month, and senior adults need just as much sleep as young adults, maybe even more. But here at Freedom Home Care however, we often see that many older adults don’t get nearly as much sleep as they should. That’s often because medication side effects, general anxiety, and other health issues can keep seniors awake or otherwise leave keep them from having restful and rejuvenating night even if they do get to sleep. There are many methods that can be tried to get back to a normal sleep cycle, but one particular method is starting to gain popularity
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